Domestic violence laws should be toughened: Congress Committee

A Congress sub-committee which has been trying to find out reforms needed to the law on gender violence for the last nine months has recommended that domestic violence committed under the action of alcohol should not be considered as a factor in the defense of the culprit. Under the current system, this can be considered as an excuse and may sometimes lead to a reduced sentence too.

The committee is of the belief that intoxication should instead be considered to be an aggravating factor and has recommended that the parental rights and right to parental visits should be taken away from such individuals.

In a report submitted to the government, the committee has suggested the government to amend the existing law and accommodate the changes it has recommended. The report has been approved by the Socialist Party, the Partido Popular, the CiU Catalan party and the BNG Galicia Nationalists. An Equality Committee meeting is scheduled next Tuesday, where the final report will undergo a voting process. The report would finally go to the Equality Ministry if the department feels any action needs to be taken.